For The Love of My Mate
by Nehnah14
Summary: Within the Order, nothing is revered more than the bond between mates. It's unbreakable, unshakeable and unrivaled. The rules of the Order state that to covet what is not yours is a punishable offense, but what happens when one man decides that Bella is his one true mate and not Edward's? AH Sort of. M Just in case! Canon Couples.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N - Okay. New story guys. This chapter is a tester to see how many people like it. If I don't get the response I hope for on it, I won't continue. So, check it and don't forget to let me know what you think!**

**It's a bit different to what I usually like to do, so bear with me whilst I get my feet under the table, so to speak.**

**On with the magic!**

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**For The Love of My Mate**

**DISCLAIMER:** _I don't own Twilight or any of the characters. I do own the plotline and the places depicted in the story._

**One – BPOV**

The air in the Great Hall was cooler. Or maybe it was the fact that the excitement was flowing through me at such speed that goose bumps were spreading across my skin. I gazed around the room; taking it all in for the first time in my eighteen years.

The high vaulted ceiling decorated in pictures to rival the Sistine Chapel.

The four towering pillars in each corner of the room that were made from pure white marble – a word etched in each one. The one to my immediate left displayed 'Valour'. The next 'Faith'. The third 'Courage' and the last 'Trust'. All in the flowing script of our Vaeletian language.

The feature that held my attention the most was the raised dais in the centre in the centre of the room on which sat three high backed wooden chairs each intricately carved with a crown at the head. The chairs were ordinary compared to the rest of the room, yet they seemed all that more majestic in their beauty. Why they held my attention so – I don't know. Maybe because in a few short moments I would be approaching that dais and those chairs to take my Fealty Pledge. The pledge that every Vaeletian child looked forward to and was groomed for from a very young age.

The pledge signified the coming of age. At eighteen you were considered an adult – one of the Order. It meant freedom and more training with your powers. Powers that I was born with and could use efficiently already; however, even I could recognise that I did not know everything I could about them. I was going to enjoy learning more.

As far as I knew there were four of us taking the pledge today. I knew nothing of the other three that would be taking the pledge with me except that they all the same age as me. The pledge was always taken at age eighteen on the night of the first full moon of autumn. I had turned eighteen two weeks ago and tonight was the first full moon. My parent's and older sister were here to witness the coming of my age. Alice, my sister, had taken the pledge last year. I was not allowed to attend due to my age. I found my parent's standing five feet in front of me chatting with another couple. I watched as a second couple joined the group. I stared. And stared. And stared some more. Vaeletians were beautiful people but the newcomers seemed to surpass even those standards.

The man was tall, broad shouldered with wavy blond hair that kissed the tip of his ears. His face was smooth with well defined lines and kind, bright blue eyes that twinkled when he smiled at something my father said. The woman was petit and delicate looking compared to him – though just as beautiful. She had long flowing caramel coloured hair that fell down to the middle of her back in smooth waves. Her face was small and round; touched with soft feminity. Set in her face were almond shaped eyes the colour of freshly mown grass – a colour that I had never seen before.

What surprised me was the feeling of rightness and belonging that I felt towards these two strangers. The intense emotion of love and caring I felt towards them left me shocked and breathless.

"You ok, Bee?" I turned to find my sister standing beside me, smiling up at me.

Alice, my older sister by just eighteen months, was diminutive in size but made up for it in personality. Her hair was a darker shade of brown than mine – almost bordering on black. Her eyes were the same stormy grey as our mother's. I had always preferred her eye colour to my own mocha ones that matched our father's perfectly. I wasn't tall by any means but I still towered over her 5'0" with my own 5'4". We shared many of the same features. The shape of our eyes were slanted in the same way. We both had full lower lips which lent us a naturally pouty look and we both had our mother's button nose. Despite our similarities and differences we were as close as sisters could be. She was my best friend.

"I'm ok, Ali." I replied. She reached out and squeezed my hand in a show of strength and support.

"I have a feeling that tonight is going to be a night to remember for you, Bee." She said cryptically.

I quirked an eyebrow at her, "You have a...Feeling?" I asked hesitantly. Usually when those words left her lips it meant that she had had a vision but didn't want to share the details. Alice's power came from our paternal grandmother. She was a psychic. My own power of shielding came from our paternal grandfather.

"Yep. A feeling. You'll see." She replied in a sing song voice.

"Uh huh." I returned sceptically.

Before Alice could reply there was a loud clap from the centre of the dais. We turned and found a medium build, medium height man standing in front of the chair in the middle with two men now occupying the chairs on either side of him. The man standing had long black hair that fell around his face in wisps and deep black eyes that shone with mirth. He had a pleasant smile on his thin lips and an open, welcoming expression on his thin face. The one on his left had a more angular face with blond hair and the one on the right had dark brown hair; both of them also had black eyes.

"Welcome my friends, welcome! Let us begin this meeting of the Council of Vaeland." The man in the centre exclaimed happily. I knew his name to be Aro, but having only met him twice I didn't know him well – something which he assured me would change over the course of my training.

"Our first order of business – and perhaps the most important – to welcome four new members. They are here tonight to pledge fealty and to be assigned mentors so that they may begin training." He paused and swung his gaze around the room.

"I would like to take this opportunity to remind members – old and new – of our laws. Above all the law." He gracefully sat down in his chair and clasped his hands together before continuing in a somber voice, "The first and foremost is to never betray your kin. To do so is a punishable offense. The second is to never use your powers against another in revenge. Again, punishable. And the last but not least – never covet what is not yours.

There was a long silence following his speech and I took the opportunity to look around at the gathered company. My parents had moved to stand on my either side and I could feel Alice behind me. I felt safe...comforted. I smiled and directed my attention back to the dais as Aro had started speaking again.

"...So let us now welcome our newest members. Step forward to stand before me as I call your name. Tanya Denali."

I watched as a tall strawberry blond haired girl walked to the end of the dais with a confident gait. She was beautiful; statuesque. She had high defined cheekbones and a long thin nose. The smile across her pale pink lips was smug bordering on arrogance. I wasn't sure what to make of her.

"Ms Denali, welcome to the Order. Your mentor is Esme Cullen." Aro said with stoic expression. Tanya nodded in acceptance and moved to the left of the stairs in front of the dais. I noticed the lady that I had admired earlier had moved to stand with Tanya, smiling as she spoke with her quietly.

"Jacob Black."

A rather tall and bulky boy stepped forward to stand where Tanya had been. He was handsome in a way, with short cropped jet black hair and deep brown eyes set in a tanned angular face. I was however put off by the sheer mass of muscles and the arrogant tilt of his head he seemed to be sporting.

"Your mentor is Charles Swan." Aro finished with a nod towards my father who moved from beside me to greet his new charge. Jacob would be my father's third charge. The first was his friend Harry Clearwater's daughter Leah. The second was Jasper Hale – Alice's mate and now fiancé.

"Edward Cullen. Your mentor will be me. Please join the others."

There were several loud gasps at Aro's words. Even I knew that this was unprecedented. This Edward Cullen must be something special to have one of the leaders of the Order offer to be his mentor. My next thought – and breath for that matter – was stalled as I caught my fist sight of Edward Cullen. He was beautiful. That was not a word I would have normally used to describe a man but for him – it fit. He was tall, broad shouldered but not a mass of muscles like Jacob. More subtle, more defined and much, much more appealing. He had the oddest shade of hair. It matched his mothers but with tints of blond and deeper browns running through it. His jaw was chiselled perfection with smooth translucent skin. But it was his eyes that held my attention.

They were the clearest, deepest green I had ever seen. They were even sharper than his mother's was and they were looking right at me.

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**A/N - So? What do you think? Should I continue or not? R&R!**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N - Thank you to all of you who reviewed and asked for more! I really appreciate your support.  
Here's Chapter Two for you to enjoy!**

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**Chapter Two  
EPOV**

I calmly studied the gathered company as Aro made his announcement regarding his mentorship with me and caught the many surprised and shocked looks. I trailed my eyes around slowly and came to stop on the most beautiful pair of brown eyes that I had ever seen. Large mocha eyes set in a small heart shaped face with a cute button nose and red pouty lips made up the face of an angel. Her long mahogany hair fell around her in soft waves and with the back light, she was given the appearance of a halo. Her expressive eyes stared back at me in a daze.

She was perfect.

The air around me started to crackle as if there was a livewire exposed. The air felt charged and alive and the feelings coursing through me were new and foreign. Vaguely, I heard Aro announce the last person.

"And last but not least, Isabella Swan. Your mentor will be Sue Clearwater."

I watched as the angel stepped forward. She never once removed her gaze from mine. I saw many things in that moment. Her past, my past, her future, my future.

Our future.

I felt as if a cord had unwound from her and wrapped itself around my heart. In turn, my soul reached out and touched hers; wrapping tendrils around her protectively. The part of me that was Veela reared up and roared in approval of finding my mate.

My mate.

With a jolt, I recognised her for who she was and what she meant to me. I stayed locked in her eyes as she moved forward as if in a daze and came to stop in front of me. Without thought or provocation, my hand lifted and settled on the base of her neck, my fingers tangled in her hair and my thumb caressed her jaw. The electricity that surrounded us intensified as soon as my skin touched hers. The zing travelled up my arm and into my heart; solidifying our bond.

"My oh my! What a pleasant surprise!" The sound of Aro clapping his hands gleefully brought us out of our bubble and we turned out heads to see him grinning widely. I didn't remove my hand and nor did Isabella step away from me.

"A mating connection! How wonderful!" he exclaimed, still clapping.

"Congratulations to both families on this doubly joyous occasion. I fear that the hour grows late and we must continue with the Fealty Ceremony. I vow to speak with both Isabella and Edward once the vows have been taken. My dears, if you would please step to the centre." Aro continued.

I looked back down at Isabella and smiled before trailing my hand down from her neck to her shoulder and then down her arm before I finally reached her fingers and intertwined my own with them. I gently tugged her to stand beside me at the centre of the floor before the dais. I looked up and found my mother watching me with shining eyes and a soft smile full of pride. I smiled back proudly, the Veela in me preening at the success of mating with an angel. My mother laughed quietly at me; knowing exactly where my mind was. She should. She was married to my father after all – a full Veela.

I knew nothing about my new mate but my natural instincts to protect and possess did not care about that. I had seen the leering looks of Jacob Black towards my angel and it raised my instincts automatically. It was as if an 'On' switch had been flicked the moment I had touched Isabella's skin and there was no hope of it being turned off again anytime soon. The only thought in my mind as we waited to speak the words that hundreds before us had was - Mine! Mine! Mine!

Slowly the chant in my mind receded as reality set. Aro climbed down from the dais and walked towards the four of us with red robes hanging from his arm. One at a time he placed the cloaks over our shoulders. However, as he stepped from me to Isabella I couldn't help the warning growl that ripped free from my throat. It surprised me just as much as it surprised the gathered company. No one had ever growled at the leaders. My instincts though were in full alert mode.

Aro chuckled and shook his head indulgently, "Have no fear, young one. I do not covet your mate; she is yours and yours alone. I merely wish to do my duty – if you will allow?" he said gently as I smiled sheepishly and nodded reluctantly for him to proceed – not removing my hawking gaze from his hands for even a moment. I only relaxed marginally once his hands were firmly back at his sides. Aro merely grinned at me before walking back to the dais and climbing it to stand beside his brothers; motioning for us to kneel as he did so.

Aro, Caius and Marcus moved the edge of the stage and stood above us with their hands clasped in front of them. At first the words they spoke were merely a soft murmur, but they grew louder as other people joined in the blessing chant. The low hum of magical energy that had permeated the air until now rose to a crackle until finally it seemed to flow in the spaces between our bodies and through us – warming us from within. The air thickened and zinged raising the hairs on my arms. My hand – which was still intertwined with Isabella's – tightened as I flexed my finger as I tried to not give into the urge to call my fire power to the surface. I felt Isabella move her thumb in a soothing circular motion over my knuckles as if she could read the struggle within me to contain myself. I chanced a glance at her and found she was staring straight ahead with an expression of reverent awe; her mouth shaped in an adorable 'O', drawing my gaze to her full lips.

I was broken out of my perusal by three successive claps from the stage and turned to see Aro, Caius and Marcus now kneeling with us.

"Goddess above, hear my plea. Welcome our young ones into your warmth and wisdom as you have welcomed me and mine. We kneel before you today in fealty. Accept us into your warm embrace and we vow to serve you and you alone." The three brother's intoned in unison before rising and coming to stand before the four of us.

"Repeat after me." Marcus ordered gently.

"We pledge to uphold our laws, to govern ourselves with the highest respect. We choose to follow and lead with valour, courage, faith and trust. We vow to forsake those that would wish upon us harm but promise to afford them a moment of doubt. In above all else, we ask the Goddess to watch over us in good and bad."

I could hear my three companion's voices mingling with mine as I repeated the Fealty Oath after Marcus and I marvelled at the sense of rightness that settled within me.

"This is my pledge as is my oath. This is my duty as is my honour."

There was a moment of deafening silence following the last echo that died away softly in the air before there were loud cheers and clapping from the crowd behind us. All of a sudden I was lifted from the floor into a crushing embrace from my parents and brother as they laughed and cried with pride. My hand was torn from Isabella's when I was lifted and I felt panic set in as I lost sight of her in the many bodies surrounding us.

"Edward, I am so proud of you! You did beautifully, son!" I could hear my father praising me but my mind and eyes were preoccupied with searching for my new mate. I could feel the growls building in my chest as the panic rose to a crescendo. I felt my father step back to search my face and surrounding area for the sign of danger or the source of my whimpering growls. My mother laid a hand on my arms and asked me what was wrong - but I was too far gone in my panic to reply. I vaguely heard my father speak to her.

"Move away from him Esme. He will not listen to reason right now."

"What's wrong with him? Carlisle, what's wrong with my baby boy?" Mom asked frantically as dad pulled her to stand behind him.

"My love, how do I react when you are removed from my sight without my permission?" I heard dad ask as I continued to search. There was a moment of silence and then my mother gasped.

"Isabella!" I whimpered at the sound of her name and doubled my efforts to find her. Mom placed a hand on my arm in a calm soothing manner.

"We'll find her, Edward. Patience." She cooed as rubbed my arm.

I felt her before I saw her. She was in the corner of the room by the 'Valour' pillar and she looked to be struggling against a tall dark haired man. Without a second thought - and before my family could stop me - I flew across the room with a roar of rage. I felt the flames of my power lick body and I knew that the fire was dancing harmlessly over my entire being. I charged up to the duo and with a snarl I pulled the man from my Isabella, placing myself in front of her – hiding her from view – protectively. Ready to fight to the death to ensure her safety.

My growls grew in volume until I became aware of Isabella's hand on my arm. My instincts to protect her refused for me to shift my awareness away from the perceived threat in front of me but I still cocked my head in her direction without removing my gaze. The man in front of me looked at me incredulously and it was only as I stared back at him that I noticed the similarities between his eyes and my mates'. They both had the same eye colour and shape. Could he be related to my Isabella?

"Edward! Stand down, son! There is no danger here." I heard my father say from my right hand side, but I could not rein in my instinct to protect.

"Carlisle, care to explain this?" the man in front me asked as he waved his hand in my direction.

"Ah...Charlie, I'm sorry about this. He's part Veela." Dad responded somewhat sheepishly.

"Part Veela, eh? And why does he think I'm a threat?" This 'Charlie' replied skeptically.

I spread my arms to conceal Isabella further, "You were hurting her!" I snarled venomously.

"Edward! Don't be rude." Dad exclaimed. My eyes flickered briefly over to my father and then returned to the stranger who was now looking partly amused and partly annoyed.

"Edward? It's ok. I'm ok. There's no danger here." For the first time I heard my angel's voice and the effect was immediate. My tense posture relaxed and the growls calmed into a low purr at the pleasure flowing through my body at her touch and voice.

"Are you calm, son?" I became aware that my father was trying to gain my attention. I slowly moved my gaze from the man to my father once again who was standing two feet to my right, staring at me cautiously.

"I'm...better." I offered hesitantly.

"Can you extinguish your fire then please?" Dad asked lightly.

"Huh?" I startled as I looked down to my hands to see that my power was still dancing across my knuckles and arms. What shocked me was that the fire was not affecting Isabella in any way. Instead it seemed to skip over her hand and continue on up my arm. I looked over my shoulder to see her smiling softly up at me. I smiled back before returning my attention to the men in front of me, simultaneously recalling my power back into the deep recesses within me.

Dad grinned at me before turning to the brown haired man, "Well, Charlie, I'm sure you won't forget _that_ first meeting!" he chortled.

Charlie chuckled, "Nope. I'm pretty sure I will never forget that." I looked confusedly between my father and the man who had been hurting my mate.

"Dad?" I questioned.

If at all possible, Dad's grin widened, "Edward, son, meet Charlie Swan - Isabella's father." I gaped at my father and the traitor simply smirked back at me.

Turning to my mate's father I held out my hand sheepishly, "Um, pleased to meet you sir." Charlie stepped forward and took my hand, shaking it tightly.

"Same here, Edward. It does a father's heart good to know that his daughter will be cherished and cared for." Charlie smiled at me reassuringly. I smiled back and felt my face heat slightly in embarrassment.

"I'm sorry about before, sir." I mumbled.

"No blood, no foul." Charlie shrugged before flicking his gaze over to my mate.

"Aro will want to speak with you before we leave, Bella. Why don't you and Edward take a walk around the lake and get to know one another whilst we wait for him?" Charlie stated.

"Ok, Dad. Do you know where Ali is?" Isabella replied.

Charlie shook his head, "Probably off with Jas. Go on now. Be back in an hour, ok?" he prodded gently.

Charlie turned to me and nodded in acknowledgement before he spun around and walked off in the opposite direction. I looked over at my father; who had been silent during the entire exchange and cocked my eyebrow.

"What?" he asked innocently.

"Traitor." I muttered at him, causing him and Isabella to chuckle at me. I looked down at my beautiful mate and smiled, "Shall we?" I gestured towards the heavy oak doors that led to the expansive gardens and the lake.

"We shall." She murmured before walking ahead of me.

I followed, throwing once last look at my dad. It was time for me to find out more about my mate. My Isabella.

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**A/N - So? How do you like EPOV? I've always loved the fierce protectiveness Edward feels for Bella, but hated that he blamed himself for most of her misfortune. That will NOT be happening with my Edward!**

**Just so you know - The chapters will be shortish. They may get longer as the story progresses or they may stay around the same as now. I have no update schedule as I can't seem to work like that. I write when the muse takes me. Sorry! *Shrugs***

**Don't forget to R&R, friends!**


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